Mechanism for crimping wire mesh fabric



Aug 24; 1937. N. s. HARTE'R 2 MECHANISM 1 012 CRIMPiNG WIRE MESH FABRIC Filed May 3, 1935 2 S hee ts-Sheet 1 Q Q I E Aug. 24, 1937. s HARTER 2,091,229

MECHANISM FOR CRIMPINGWIRE MESH FABRIC Filed May 3, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 24, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE uncommon ron camrmo wnm MESH name Noah S. Hatter, Waukegan, Ill., assignor to Cyclone Fence Company, Waukegan, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application May 3, 1935, Serial No. 19,720 1 Claim. writs-291) 10 fabric in proper spaced relation. However, in

the manufacture of wire fabric having longi-- tudinal wires of spring steel similar to music wire the weaving operations do not crimp these wires at all and the deformation given the transverse 15 wires is not sufficient to hold the wires of the finished fabric in place. This condition exists even though the longitudinal wires are maintained at an excessive tension during the weaving operation.

The invention has for its principal object to provide novel apparatus that can be built into weaving machines or readily applied to machines nowin use for crimping the transverse wires and which 'will give them suflicientdeformation to a firmly hold the wires of the completed fabric in proper spaced relation.

With these and various other objects in view, the-invention may consist of certain novel features of construction and operation, as will be w more fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification, drawings and claim appended hereto.

In the drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the invention'and wherein like reference 35 characters are used to designate like parts- Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a weaving machine having the crimping apparatus of the invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a. front elevational view of the ma chine shown in Figure 1; a

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail view taken along line 3--3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along line.

50 numerals l0 and H designate the side frames of a I wire weaving machine having a plurality of let- "off rollers I2 carried by shafts l3 journalled at the front end of said frames over which the completed-fabric passes. A gear II is secured to one 55 end of'eachof theshafts i3 said gears meshing with each other for operatively connecting the shafts so that the rollers rotate in unison and at the same speed. The rear of the machine is provided with a similar set of rollers for receiving and feeding a plurality of warp wires IE to the machine and which when woven with transverse wires l6, Figure 6, form the completed fabric 2|. On the end of one of the shafts I3 is fixed a worm gear .I 1, Figure 2, adapted to meshwith gear I! on shaft 20. The shaft extends to the rear of the weaving machine and is operatively connected with the rear feeding rollers so that said rollers and the let-oil rollers II are driventogether, I

whereby the warp wire l5 fed to'the machine by the feed rollers will be in proportion to the completed fabric withdrawn by rollers Ii to maintain the warp wires at the proper tension during their travel through the weaving machine.

Weaving machines of the character described have heretofore manufactured fabric wherein the longitudinal wires and transverse wires are composed of soft steel and therefore the tension maintained on the longitudinal wires has been suillcient to give said wires and the transverse wires a crimp or deformation-which is desired in the completed fabric as the same functions to maintain the wires in their proper spaced relation. However, in the manufacture of wire fabric where the longitudinal wires consist of spring steel similar to that usually known as music wire, it is practically impossible to crimp these wires and although the transverse wires are given a slight deformation by reason of the tension maintained on the longitudinal spring wires during the weaving operation, the same does not satisfactorily hold the wires of the completed fabric in place. In order to overcome the above deficiencies in weaving machines as now constructed and to enor auxiliary roller 22 adapted to have contact with the front guide roller 23 over which the completed fabric passes on its way to the let-oil rollers l2. .-Said roller 23 is provided on its ends [with bearing portions 24 which are rotatab y mounted in the side frames ll and ii of the mais provided with end bearing portions 25 mounted in members 26 positioned by the supports 21. Each support is formed of strap iron, or other suitable metal, bent into the shape as shown in Figure 1, forming base portions 28. whereby the support is suitably secured as by bolting to the side frames I0 and ii. The upper section of the support confines the bearing member 26, preventing rotation thereof but permitting the member 10 to have vertical movement.

As shown in Figure 1 the completed fabric 2| passes between rollers 22 and 23 and in order to increase the deformation or crimp of the transverse wires the invention contemplates that excessive pressure be placed on the fabric during its passage between the rollers. Accordingly, the roller 22 is forced downwardly into engagement with the lower roller 23 by the coil springs 30 resting on said bearing member 26. Each spring is confined between a bearing member and plate 3|. Each support is equipped with ablt 32 threaded in the upper end thereof and which is adapted to be locked in adjusted position by the nut 33. To increase the pressure exerted by coil 25 spring on each of the bearing members it is only necessary to rotate the threaded bolt 32 in that direction which will impart downward movement to the plate 3!. The structure is capable of adjustment within wide limits so that any de- 30 sired pressure on the fabric 2! can be secured as the same passes over roller 23.

The completed fabric is withdrawn from the machine by the intermittent rotation of the let- I 7 off rollers I2 and as the longitudinal wires are maintained under considerable tension the fabric is held in contact with the rollers and is, in effect, flattened in passing over the guide roller 23 and said rollers i2. When the wires of the fabric are of soft steel of the usual weaving wire grade this contact of the fabric with the rollers serves to crimp the wires, the deformation being sufficient to hold the wires of the fabric properly positioned. However, in the weaving of wire mesh fabric having longitudinal wires of spring steel which give to the fabric many new and distinctive characteristics, the deformation or crimping must be increased over that which would be imparted to the wires by their contact with the rollers. The required deformation may be effec- 50 tively secured by ironing the fabric as disclosed by the present invention, which contemplates the application of pressure to the fabric while in contact with the guide roller.

As the selvage edges of the fabric are much thicker than the body thereof, it is necessary to provide grooves in the auxiliary roller 22 for permitting passage of the edges. Said grooves, which are shown at 34, may be formed in the guide roller 23 instead of the auxiliary roller or may be provided in both rollers. The grooves are essential as otherwise the transverse wires at the edges would be severed by the pressure applied to the fabric by the auxiliary roller. wires in passing between the rollers are aligned in substantially the same horizontal plane determined by the surface of the guide roller 23 as will be clear by reference to Figure 6. This action deforms the transverse wires as said wires alternate in passing over and under the longitudinal wires. As a result they are given-the maximum deformation possible and which is permanent as the wires are bent beyond their elastic limit. The improved apparatus of the invention therefore imparts a substantial deformation to the transverse wires to firmly hold the wires of the completed fabric in proper spaced relation.

.The invention is not to be limited to or by details of construction of the particular embodiment thereof illustrated by the drawings, as various other forms of the device will of course be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claim.

What is claimec'v is:

In a machine for weaving wire fabric, in combinaiion, a substantially smooth guide roller at the delivery end of the machine over which the completed fabric passes, a substantially smooth auxiliary roller, supports secured to the forward end of the machine for rotatably mounting the delivery roller above the guide roller, resilient means provided by each support for yieldingly forcing the auxiliary roller toward the guide roller, said resilient means being constructed and arranged to apply suflicient pressure to said auxiliary roller to crimp the transverse wires of said fabric, and grooves provided by at least one of said rollers for permitting passage of the edges of the fabric.

NOAH S. HARTER.

The longitudinal 

